Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 20, 2025 Participant: Ryan Merrick #1073 Race: 2025 Pikes Peak Ascent Half Marathon Distance: 13.1 miles Weather: Chilly start. Heavy winds (tail/cross wind). Sunny at the finish.

Steady Improvement with Challenging Altitude Splits Ryan Merrick completed the 2025 Pikes Peak Ascent in 4:53:52, improving on last year's time of 5:08:07. His pace improved from 23:03 to 21:59 min/mile. Ryan placed 927th overall out of 2049 participants and 90th in his division, Open 40-44. Notably, he advanced his position as he progressed through the race, especially in the first half, where he consistently moved up in his division, peaking at the "Top of W's" with a pace of 18:22 min/mile. The elevation gain presented significant challenges, slowing his pace to 34:09 min/mile at the finish. The split between "2 Miles To Go" and the finish recorded the most significant slowdown in Ryan's pace. Consider focusing on maintaining pace in the final miles above the treeline for future races. Despite the elevated difficulty, Ryan showed commendable improvement and resilience, making it a successful race overall.